Improvement in wire ladders



J. PLINN. .Wire-Ladder.

N PETERS, FHOTO LlTHOGflAPMER, WASHINGTON, o 64 UNITED STATESPA'I'ENTOFFICE.

JOHN FLINN, OF "PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WIRE LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,524, dated February19, 1878; application filed April 28, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN FLINN, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Wire Ladders; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an elevation ofthe ladder; Figs. 2 and 3, detail perspectives. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation, showing the ladder folded.

My invention has for its object to construct a light and strong wireladder, which can be compactly stowed and easily transported.

My improvements consist in the peculiar manner of constructing anduniting the links.

of which said ladder is composed so as to permit the same to fold snuglyone upon the other, said construction also insuring strength andsecurity when the ladder is opened or extended for use.

Each of the links of which the ladder is formed. is constructed of onepiece of springas hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A designates the wire of whichthe links are formed, said links being lettered B O D, &c. The wire ofeach link is bent to form two sides, b b or c c, &c., and a round orstep, b or c. The bend at the junction of the sides and round forms eyes11 or 0 Through the eyes I) the ends of the sides 0 c are passed, saidends being then turned over or looped, and then wrapped or twistedaround the sides, as shown at 0 The ends of the sides of each link arepassed through the eyes of the next adjacent link in the mannerdescribed, thus forming a ladder of links united by hinges or joint-connections.

The eyes of the links are made sufficiently large to permit the knots ortwists b 0 &c.,

to rest in them when the ladder is folded, as shown in Fig. 4, thuspermitting said links to come snugly together.

The sides of the links may curve toward each other, as shown, or may bemade straight, if desired.

At the end of the ladder there should be a cross-piece, 1, with loop 2for the attachment of a rope, 3, or other fastening device, by means ofwhich said ladder can be secured in position by tying or otherwise.

For greater security an additional turn may be given to the wire afterthe eyes are formed, thus passing once around the rounds, as shown at bc d, before passing up to form the sides. This prevents the rounds fromspreading or springing away from the sides when stepped on, and alsostiffens the rounds, so as to prevent their bending inj uriously underany extra heavy weight.

To avoid the unpleasant sensation produced by the contact of cold metalwith a barefoot, as also to give a larger treading-surface and one whichwill be more secure than smooth metal, I employ gum tubing F as acovering for the rounds.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The hinged or pivoted links 13 0 D,&c., composed each of a single piece of wire, bent to produce sides b cd and rounds b c 11, eyes I) of the hinged joints 0 d being formed atthe junction of the sides and round,-and loops 0 11 &c., at the upperends of the sides of each link, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of hinged or pivoted links B O D, &c., each of saidlinks being constructed of a single piece of wire, bent to form sides bc d and rounds b 0 W, with loops 0 d &c., at the upper ends of thesides, and eyes b? c, &c., at the junction of the sides and round ofeach link, the ends of one link being passed through the eyes I) c d ofthe next, and twisted, as shown at b 0 d and said eyes being enlargedsufficiently to permit said twiststorest therein, as and the links to besnugly folded upon each other, substantially as shown and described.

3. The improved folding ladder, consisting "of a series of bent orU-shaped Wire links, 7

having eyes at their angles and loops at their ends, by which they arehinged together and adapted to fold one upon the other, as shown.

In testiinony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my handthis 21st day of April, 1877. I

JOHN FLINN.

Witnesses M. DANL. OoNNoLLY, CHAS. F. VAN HORN.

